ABOUT PEOPLE

Southland Times, Issue 20146, 5 April 1927, Page 6

ABOUT PEOPLE

MINISTERIAL. The Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, left Dunedin yesterday morning by the first express for the north. Mr A. W. Rodger left for Wellington by yesterday’s through express. Mr and Mrs R. B. Hammond arrived in Invercargill yesterday afternoon. Private advice has been received that Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P., is to undertake a tour of New Zealand in May. He is expected to reach Invercargill on May 16. The death is announced of William Arnott, aged 98, Greymouth’s oldest citizen. He was a retired builder and arrived on the coast in 1865. Deceased was a Crimean veteran. When approached by a representative gathering of citizens yesterday afternoon, Mr D. L. Poppelwell consented to stand as a candidate for the Mayoralty in the forthcoming municipal elections at Gore. Word was received early this morning of the death of Cuthbert Cowan, aged 92, of 14 Collingwood street, Invercargill, and late of Kauana. The late Mr Cowan was a well known personality but no particulars could be procured this morning. Mr W. S. Short, 1.5.0., formerly Undersecretary of the Public Works Department, has been appointed by the Government to inquire into a difficulty between local bodies that has arisen in connection with the road from Port Chalmers to Dunedin. Mr J. A. Valentine, formerly senior inspector in charge of the Taranaki district, who has since retired, has been engaged by the Public Service Commissioners to assist in administrative work at. the Education Department’s central office until the appointment of an assistant director is made. Prior to her departure from the Riverside School, Miss Hay was met by a representative gathering of Riverside residents and presented with a leather travelling case. In making the presentation, Mr J. Reilly expressed the regret felt by all at her departure, she having endeared herself to parents and children alike. At the same time it was recognised that she was leaving on promotion, and that was a source of gratification to them. When she took up her new position she would do so knowing that, she had the best, wishes of the Riverside people. Miss Hay suitably responded.